Conversion system for biomass

ABSTRACT

The efficient production of ethanol from low-cost biomass (e.g., corn, sugar beets, sugar cane, switchgrass and/or paper) has become increasingly important in making ethanol competitive with gasoline and decreasing the United States&#39; dependence on foreign oil. For example, to reduce the cost of transporting biomass to ethanol production facilities, mobile systems for producing ethanol from biomass are provided. Also provided are small-scale ethanol production facilities. For example, instead of transporting biomass to the production facility, the facility is transported to the biomass or is located nearby the source of the biomass. The ethanol production facilities or components thereof may be transported via land, water, or air. Production of other products, such as hydrocarbons, natural gas, hydrogen gas, plastics, polymers, and proteins, can also be made by the methods and facilities. Any product described herein can be made in finished form or un-finished form and moved, e.g., to a fixed facility, e.g., fixed production facility.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 13/657,928 filed onOct. 23, 2012, which is a Continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 12/374,549,Filed on Jan. 21, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,318,453, which is a nationalphase of PCT/US2007/074028, filed on Jul. 20, 2007, which claimspriority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/832,735, filedon Jul. 21, 2006. The entirety of each of these applications isincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a system for producing energy (e.g.,ethanol, hydrocarbons, gasoline, methane, natural gas, and biodiesel),electricity, nutrients (human and animal), pharmaceuticals (human andveterinary) (e.g., medicines, and drugs), fertilizer, or otherco-products from biomass. In particular, the invention relates tomobile, portable, and modular facilities for producing energy (e.g.,ethanol, hydrocarbons, gasoline, methane, natural gas, and biodiesel),electricity, nutrients (human and animal), pharmaceuticals (human andveterinary) (e.g., medicines, drugs), fertilizer, or other co-products,by fermentation or other process from biomass (e.g., crops, agriculturalwaste, and municipal solid waste).

BACKGROUND

Ethanol has a variety of uses, including as an industrial chemical andsolvent, fuel additive, and straight liquid fuel. Ethanol is a cleanburning fuel that can be produced from renewable sources such as crops(e.g., corn, and sugar cane), wood waste, agricultural waste, or otherbiomass. Ethanol not only reduces air emissions, but it also improvesengine performance. Also, as a renewable fuel, ethanol reduces theUnited States' dependence on foreign fossil fuels. Recently, ethanolproduction in the United States has grown from 175 million gallons in1980 to 3.4 billion gallons in 2004. There are currently 101 ethanolproduction facilities on-line in the U.S., and 30 more are underconstruction. Therefore, the production of ethanol in coming years isexpected to increase.

The majority of ethanol made in the U.S. is derived from corn; however,ethanol can also be produced from other crops high in starches andsugars, such as grain sorghum, wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar cane, orsugar beets. The production of ethanol starts with breaking down thecomplex sugars (e.g., amylose, cellulose) found in these plants intosimpler fermentable sugars (e.g., dextrose). This first step can beaccomplished using enzymes, acid, water, and/or heat. Once the simplersugars are obtained, yeast or other fermenting microorganisms are addedto covert the sugar to ethanol. The ethanol is then removed from thefermentation by distillation. Water may be removed from the ethanol bydehydration, and the ethanol may be denatured to make it unfit for humanconsumption by adding a small amount of gasoline or other alcohol (e.g.,methanol).

The production of ethanol as a fuel supplement has many benefitsincluding boosting the economy, creating jobs, benefiting agriculture,aiding rural economic development, providing energy security andindependence, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing emissionsof other pollutants including carbon monoxide, particulate matter,oxides of nitrogen, and other ozone-forming pollutants.

Joseph DePardo in an article entitled “Outlook for Biomass EthanolProduction and Demand” (www.eai.doe.gov/oiaf/analysispaper/biomass.html)has said that the production of ethanol from corn is a mature technologythat is not likely to see significant reductions in production costs. Hehypothesizes that the ability to produce ethanol from other low costbiomass will be important to making ethanol competitive as a fueladditive. Therefore, a need remains for improving the production ofethanol from crops as well as other biomass including “non-virgin”biomass such as municipal solid waste.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for the production of energy (e.g.,ethanol, hydrocarbons, gasoline, natural gas, methane, biodiesel, andhydrogen gas), electricity, plastics, polymers, nutrients (human andanimal), proteins, biomolecules, pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary),fertilizer, or other products from biomass using a mobile or portableproduction facility or small-scale facility. The invention stems, atleast in part, from the recognition that it may be more efficient,economical, and/or convenient to move the production facility or to havea small-scale facility nearby rather than moving the biomass used as thestarting material in the process or the product such as ethanol producedby the facility. In certain embodiments, the inventive facilities allowthe use of local supplies of biomass and other materials needed in theprocess such as water, electricity, natural gas, gasoline, and sewer. Inthe case of mobile facilities, the site may include certaininfrastructure (e.g., a foundation (e.g., concrete slab)) for thefacility, walls, roof, building, piping, wiring, sewer lines, gas lines,and lighting). The inventive facilities also allow for the use ofbiomass traditionally not thought of as useful for producing energy(e.g., ethanol, hydrocarbons, gasoline, natural gas, methane, biodiesel,and hydrogen gas), electricity, plastics, polymers, nutrients (human andanimal), proteins, biomolecules, pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary),fertilizer, or other products, such as algae, aquatic plants,agricultural waste, and human waste. The inventive systems havepersonal, commercial, governmental, agricultural, and militaryapplications.

In one aspect, the invention provides mobile production facilities forprocessing biomass to produce any of the desired products describedherein. The mobile facilities of the invention are easily transported,or components of the facility are easily transportable. Transporting theproduction facility or components of the facility rather than thebiomass starting material is particularly useful and economical giventhat many of the crops used to produce energy (e.g., bioethanol,gasoline, hydrogen, natural gas) or other desired products are seasonal.Therefore, a production facility only needs to be operational in thearea when crops or other biomass is available for processing. After theprocessing is done, the facility or certain components of the facilitycan travel to another area with biomass available for conversion to adesired product. The inventive facilities or components thereof may betransported by water, air, land, or any combination thereof. Theinventive facilities may include parts of the facility or infrastructurethat is not transportable or mobile. For example, the inventiveproduction facility or components thereof may be transportable on aboat, barge, ship, or other nautical vessel. Such facilities areparticularly useful for producing ethanol or other products from aquaticbiomass such as algae (e.g., Sargassum) or aquatic plants. Thesefacilities are also useful in traveling on a body of water to differentareas with biomass suitable for the production of the desired product(e.g., traveling on a river or on the ocean and docking at an area withsuitable biomass for processing). The portable facilities or componentsthereof may also be transported on land. For example, the facility maybe transported by a car, a truck, tractor trailer, and railroad car(s).Again, the land vehicle with the portable facility can travel to areaswith biomass suitable for the production of the desired product.Finally, the facilities may be transported by air. The facility may betransported by plane, helicopter, and blimp. Air transportation of thefacility allows for the use of biomass typically too far away fromproduction facilities to be used. The facility may be on the plane, orthe facility or components may be dropped from a plane or delivered byplane. The mobile facility is typically conveniently sized and organizedto provide for easy transportation of the facility and/or its individualcomponents. In the case of land transport, the transportation vehiclesare typically able to travel roads and highways used by cars, trucks,and tractor trailers. In the case of sea transport, the facility orcomponents are typically carried by a boat or barge which is moved by aboat. In the case of air transport, the facility or components is sizedto fit in a plane (e.g., cargo plane) or helicopter.

The inventive mobile facilities or facilities constructed from mobilecomponents may include any or all of the following apparatuses useful inproducing the desired product (e.g., ethanol): pre-processing means forthe biomass, mills, cookers, cooling containers, holding containers,fermenters, distillation apparatuses, columns, piping transfercontainers, and mixing containers. In certain embodiments, the differentstages of the production facilities are linked together efficiently sothat a user can easily transfer materials from one stage of theproduction process to another. The facilities may also include anyreagents needed in the production process including yeast or othermicroorganisms (including genetically engineered microorganisms),enzymes (e.g., amylase, and cellulase), acids (e.g., sulfuric acid,hydrochloric acid), bases (e.g., sodium hydroxide), chemical reagents,water, salts, molecular sieves, and columns. In certain embodiments,when ethanol is being produced, the facility includes denaturants suchas gasoline or other alcohols for denaturing the ethanol. The inventivefacilities can include all the necessary equipment and reagentsconveniently stored in the facility making for easy use of the facility.In certain embodiments, the facility produces enough ethanol or otherenergy source to supply the energy needs of a factory, town, village,and island. In certain embodiments, the ethanol production facilityproduces less than 5 million gallons of ethanol per year. The facilitymay also optionally include any equipment mandated by international,federal, state, or local law including, for example, safety equipmentnecessary to prevent or handle spills, fires, or other emergencies.

As will be appreciated by one of skill in this art, the productionfacility may be assembled from various transportable components. Thesecomponents may include pre-processing means for the biomass, mills,cookers, cooling containers, holding containers, fermenters,distillation apparatuses, columns, piping transfer containers, andmixing containers. In certain embodiments, the component comprises acombination of two or more of any of the above. The facility may includenon-transportable components. These components of an ethanol productionfacility are designed for easy assembly of the working facility at thesite. The components may be pre-fabricated. The components may beinterchangeable and may provide for scalability of the facility. Incertain cases, the components system allows the facility to be easilyassembled and broken apart for ease of portability. The variouscomponents of the facility may be brought to the site using anycombination of transport means (e.g., air, water, and land). In certainembodiments, the components are brought to a site with certaininfrastructure which may include electricity, shelter, foundation,sewer, water, and natural gas lines. All or some of the components maybe later disassembled and moved to a new site. In certain embodiments,particular components and/or the infrastructure may remain at the siteto be optionally used again.

In some cases, the mobile production facility or components thereof aredisposable so that after it has served its purpose a portion or all ofthe facility is abandoned temporarily or permanently. In otherembodiments, the facility or components thereof are meant to be re-usedand are therefore transported from place to place with suitable biomass.The facility may be completely self-sufficient requiring only theaddition of biomass, or the facility may require other materials orutilities such as water, electricity, natural gas, gasoline, and sewer.For example, the ethanol or other energy produced by the mobile facilitymay be used to power a generator to supply electricity to the facility,or the ethanol or other energy source may be burned to provide the heatto break down the biomass in a cooker or to run a distillation. Theethanol or other energy may also be used to power the vehicle used totransport the facility or components thereof.

In another aspect, the invention also provides small-scale ethanolproduction facilities (e.g., producing less than 5 million gallons ofethanol). In certain embodiments, the inventive small-scale facilitiesproduce less than 1 million gallons of ethanol. These small-scalefacilities may be portable or components of the system may be portableas described above. These facilities may include any or all of thefollowing apparatuses useful in producing bioethanol: pre-processingmeans for the biomass, mills, cookers, cooling containers, holdingcontainers, fermenters, distillation apparatuses, columns, pipingtransfer containers, and mixing containers. In certain embodiments, thedifferent stages of the production facilities are linked togetherefficiently so that a user can easily transfer materials from one stageof the ethanol production process to another. The facilities may alsoinclude any reagents needed in the ethanol production process includingyeast or other microorganisms (including genetically engineeredmicroorganisms), enzymes (e.g., amylase, and cellulase), acids (e.g.,sulfuric acid, and hydrochloric acid), bases (e.g., sodium hydroxide),water, salts, molecular sieves, gasoline or other alcohols fordenaturing the ethanol, and any other reagents. The inventive facilitiescan, e.g., include all the necessary equipment and reagents convenientlystored in the mobile facility making for easy use of the facility. Incertain embodiments, the facility produces enough ethanol to supply theethanol needs of a factory, town, village, and island. In certainembodiments, the facility produces less than 5 million gallons ofethanol per year. The facility may also optionally include any equipmentmandated by international, federal, state, or local law including, forexample, safety equipment necessary to prevent or handle spills, fires,or other emergencies. Other products as described herein may also beproduced by the small-scale production facilities.

The present invention also provides processes for producing a desiredproduct using an inventive facility. The process uses biomass from alocal area in an inventive production facility to produce the desiredproduct locally. The locally produced product (e.g., ethanol, gasoline,natural gas, hydrogen gas, and hydrocarbons) is then preferably usedlocally to avoid the cost of the transporting both the biomass and thefinal product. Preferably, a local water source is used in theproduction process. Other reagents needed for the process may beprovided by the facility or provided locally. The waste or co-productsfrom the production process, e.g., the distillers grain, can be usedlocally as a highly nutritious livestock feed or as a fertilizer. Otherwaste products or co-products from the process such as biomolecules,carbohydrates, protein, and polymers may also be packaged, used, and/orsold.

The mobile component-based ethanol production facilities and small-scaleproduction facilities complement larger-scale ethanol productionfacilities (i.e., facilities that produce over 10-20 million gallons ofethanol per year). In some cases, the inventive facilities may eliminatethe need for large-scale ethanol production facilities in some areas.The portable nature of certain systems works especially well given thecyclical nature of crops and other biomass in various geographic areas.These inventive facilities also allow for the economical production ofethanol from low cost biomass, which will aid making ethanol acompetitive fuel additive. In certain embodiments, the inventive systemuses biomass that is not corn, sugarcane, or sugarbeet, or includes asmall portion of these crops.

In one aspect, the invention features a facility for producing ethanolfrom biomass. Such a facility includes at least one component that isportable.

In some embodiments, the component performs at least one step in theprocess of converting biomass to ethanol. For example, the component canpre-processes the biomass, ferment the biomass, or purify ethanolproduced from the biomass.

In some embodiments, the facility is capable of only producing less thanabout 1 million gallons of ethanol per year, or less than about 5million gallons of ethanol per year.

In some instances, the facility includes at least two portablecomponents.

In another aspect, the invention features a portable facility forproducing ethanol from biomass.

In another aspect, the invention features a portable facility forproducing ethanol from biomass. Such a facility includes a means fortransporting the facility and a fermenter for converting sugars derivedfrom biomass into ethanol.

For example, the facility can be transported by land. For example, thefacility can be transported by railroad.

For example, the facility can be transported by water, such as by usinga boat, barge or other nautical vessel.

For example, the facility can be transported by air, such as by using anairplane or helicopter.

For example, more than one mode of transportation can be used. Forexample, any one or more of air, land or nautical modes may be utilized.For example, train in combination with barge or boat, or blimp incombination with train.

For example, the facility can further include a means for convertingcomplex sugars of biomass into simpler, more fermentable sugars.

For example, the facility can also include a means for purifying theethanol produced in the fermenter, such as one or more distillationcolumns.

In another aspect, the invention features a portable facility forproducing ethanol from biomass that includes a means for transportingthe facility, a mill for grinding the biomass, a cooker for liquefyingthe biomass, a fermenter for converting sugars derived from biomass intoethanol and a distillation apparatus.

In another aspect, the invention features a method of producing ethanolfrom biomass that includes providing biomass; providing a portableethanol production facility; and producing ethanol from the biomassusing the portable ethanol production facility.

In another aspect, the invention features methods of producing ethanolfrom biomass, e.g., one or more cellulosic and/or lignocellulosicmaterials (e.g., switchgrass and/or paper), that include producingethanol from biomass at a first site with a reactor or a converter,e.g., a fermenter; transporting the reactor or converter to a secondsite; and producing ethanol from biomass at the second site with thereactor or converter.

For example, the biomass can be or can include any cellulosic orlignocellulosic material, such as corn, sugar cane, sugar beets, trees,shrubs, grasses, phytoplankton, zooplankton, algae, macroalgae, seaweed,corn husks, bushes, lumber, wood waste, pulp, cotton, wool, linen,paper, newspapers, corrugated containers, mixed paper, computerprintouts, white office paper, printing plant scraps, leaves, twigs,grass, plant cuttings, branches, trees, vines, sewage, agriculturalwaste. Mixtures of any of these can also be utilized.

For example, transporting can be performed with a nautical vessel, e.g.,a boat, a barge, a ship, dock or a floating platform. For example,transporting can be performed with a land vehicle, such as a car, truck,tractor trailer or train. For example, transporting can be performedwith an airborne vehicle, such as a plane, helicopter or blimp.

In some embodiments, transporting is performed by more than a singlemode, such as by a land vehicle and a water vehicle.

In some embodiments, the producing is performed while transporting.

In some embodiments, the system uses fixed resources, such as pipingand/or electricity a given site.

In some embodiments, the reactor or converter forms part of a system andthe system also includes a component such as cutters, shearing devices,measuring devices, flow devices, mills, mixers, pumps, wiring, cookers,heaters, coolers, aerators, containers, holding containers, distillationcolumns, piping, or mixtures of these.

Spacing between a first site and a second site can be small orrelatively large. For example, the sites can be physically beside oneanother. For example, the ethanol can be produced while the system isbeing carried by a moving train.

In other embodiments, the first site and second site are spaced apart bya distance of about 25 miles or more, e.g., about 50 miles or more,about 75 miles or more, about 100 miles or more, about 150 miles ormore, about 250 or more miles, or even about 500 miles or more.

In some embodiments, producing ethanol from biomass at the first and/orsecond site includes hydrolyzing the biomass, and then fermenting thebiomass.

The methods can further include, e.g., transporting the system to athird site, and then producing ethanol at the third site. The methodscan include also a fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or more sites.Producing can occur at any number of these sites.

In some embodiments, prior to producing ethanol from biomass at thefirst and/or second site with the system, the system is assembled.

For example, the producing ethanol from biomass can include contactingthe biomass with one or more microorganisms, such as a one or morespecies of yeast and/or bacteria, disposed in the fermenter.Combinations of different organisms may be used, e.g., combinations ofyeast and bacteria or different species of yeast or bacteria.

For example, the one or more microorganisms can include one or moregenetically engineered bacteria.

In another aspect, the invention features methods of producing energyfrom biomass that include producing a first energy source from biomassat a first site with a reactor or a converter; transporting the reactoror a converter to a second site; and producing a second energy sourcefrom biomass at the second site with the reactor or a converter.

In some embodiments, the first and second energy sources are the same.

For example, the energy source can be an alcohol, such as ethanol orn-butanol, gasoline, hydrocarbons, hydrogen, natural gas, biodiesel,electricity or mixtures of any of these.

In specific embodiments, the energy source is or includes an alcohol,such as ethanol.

In another aspect, the invention features methods of producing productsfrom biomass that include producing a first product from biomass at afirst site with a reactor or a converter; transporting the system to asecond site; and producing a second product from biomass at the secondsite with the reactor or a converter.

In some embodiments, product of products can be made in a mobilefacility, and then finished in a fixed facility, e.g., fixed productionfacility. For example, the un-finished product or products can betransported by a vehicle, e.g., a train and/or a ship, or anotherconveyance method, such as pipes. Combinations of these conveyancemethods can be utilized.

In some embodiments, the first and second products are the same.

In some embodiments, the first or second products include ethanol and/orn-butanol.

For example, product can be ethanol, n-butanol, hydrocarbons, gasoline,natural gas, methane, biodiesel, hydrogen, electricity, polymers,nutrients, proteins, biomolecules, pharmaceuticals, pharmaceuticalproducts, fertilizer or mixtures of any of these.

In some embodiments, the first or second products include one or morebiomolecules. For example, the biomolecule can be a nucleic acid, aprotein, a lipid, a steroid, a natural product, a metabolic product, anucleotide, a fat, an amino acid, a peptide or mixtures of any of these.

In another aspect, the invention features methods of producing productsfrom biomass, e.g., cellulosic or lignocellulosic materials, the includeproducing a first product from biomass at a first site with a reactor,the first site being located on a body of water; transporting thereactor to a second site also on the body of water; and producing asecond product from biomass at the second site with the reactor. In suchaspects, the biomass can obtained from the body of water.

For example, the biomass can be plankton, aquatic plants, algae, seaweedor mixtures of these.

In another aspect, the invention features methods of producing productsfrom biomass that include producing a first product from biomass at afirst site with a reactor or converter; transporting the reactor orconverter by a first mode to a second site; producing a second productfrom biomass at the second site with the reactor or converter; andtransporting the reactor or converter by a second mode different thanthe first mode to a third site.

DEFINITIONS

“Bioethanol”: The term “bioethanol” refers to ethanol produced partiallyor entirely from biomass. In certain embodiments, bioethanol is producedby fermentation of sugars derived from biomass. The term bioethanol isused interchangeably herein with the term ethanol.

“Biomass”: The term “biomass” refers to any material or combination ofmaterials that can be used in the production system to produce energy(e.g., ethanol, hydrocarbons, gasoline, natural gas, methane, biodiesel,and hydrogen gas), electricity, plastics, polymers, nutrients (human andanimal), proteins, biomolecules, pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary;e.g., drugs and medicines), fertilizer, or other products. In certainembodiments, sugars or other organic compounds from the biomass areconverted into ethanol (e.g., by fermentation). Exemplary biomassincludes crops (e.g., corn, sugar cane, sugar beets), trees, shrubs,grasses, plankton (e.g., phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacterioplankton),algae, macroalgae (e.g., species from the genus Sargassum), seaweed,agricultural waste (e.g., branches, corn husks, bushes, and weeds),synthetic materials, synthetic plastics, industrial waste, recycledwaster, municipal solid waste, synthetic waste, human waste, animalwaste, commercial organics (e.g., beverage industry waste, cheese, whey,dairy waste, food processing waste, lumber and industrial wood waste,pulp and paper facility waste, restaurant waste, fabrics, cotton, wool,and linen), construction and demolition debris, waste paper (e.g., oldnewspapers, old corrugated containers, mixed paper, pulp substitutes,computer printouts, white office paper, and printing plant scraps), yardwaste (e.g., leaves, twigs, grass, plant cuttings, branches, trees, andvines). Biomass includes both virgin biomass and non-virgin biomass.

“Biomolecule”: The term “biomolecule” refers to any chemical compoundthat can be produced by a cell or organism. In certain embodiments, thecell is wild type and has not been genetically engineered by the hand ofman. In other embodiments, the cell has been altered by the hand of man.Exemplary biomolecules include nucleic acids, proteins, lipids,steroids, natural products, metabolic products, nucleotides,nucleosides, fats, amino acids, and peptides.

“Components”: The term “component” refers to any part of a biomassconversion facility. The component may be of any size or shape. It mayinclude one or multiple pieces of equipment used in the energyproduction or biomass conversion process. In certain embodiments, thecomponent includes several pieces of equipment. It may optionallyinclude piping or wiring and may optionally include hookups so that itcan be connected with other components or infrastructure at the site. Incertain embodiments, the component is transportable by air, water, orland. Exemplary components comprise one or more of the following:pre-processing means for the biomass, mills, mixers, pumps, wiring,cookers, heating means, cooling means, aeration means, coolingcontainers, holding containers, fermenters, distillation apparatuses,columns, piping, transfer containers, and mixing containers. In certainembodiments, the components are for the modular assembly of an ethanolproduction facility.

“Dehydration”: The term “dehydration” refers to removing water from amaterial. In certain embodiments, dehydration refers to removing waterfrom the ethanol produced by the system. The resulting ethanol may befree of ethanol, or 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5% water may remain in the ethanol.In certain embodiments, the ethanol after dehydration includes less than1% water. The ethanol may be dehydrated using any means known in the artincluding distillation, azeotroping, or using molecular sieves.

“Denatured ethanol”: The term “denatured alcohol” refers to ethanol thathas been mixed with another material to make it unfit for humanconsumption. In most jurisdictions, the sale of ethanol, as a puresubstance or in the form of alcoholic beverages, is heavily taxed. Inorder to relieve non-beverage industries of this tax burden, governmentsspecify formulations for denatured alcohol, which consists of ethanolblended with various additives to render it unfit for human consumption.These additives, also known as denaturants, are either toxic and/or havean unpleasant taste or odor. Denatured ethanol formulations intended fora particular use (e.g., use as a fuel additive) contain denaturantschosen so as not to interfere with that use.

“Distillation”: The term “distillation” refers to a process of purifyingthe ethanol from the fermented mash. The distillation process typicallyinvolves a change of state from a liquid to a gas and subsequentcondensation as a means of purification.

“Energy”: The term “energy” includes any energy source that can beproduced from biomass. The energy produced from biomass is typicallyorganic compounds. The energy can be burned to produce heat which can beused to produce electricity or power a vehicle for example. In certainembodiments, the energy is ethanol. In other embodiments, the energy isalcohol. In other embodiments, the energy is hydrocarbons. In certainembodiments, the energy is fats. In certain embodiments, the energy isfatty acids. In other embodiments, the energy is acetic acid. In otherembodiments, the energy is gasoline. In certain embodiments, the energyis a mixture of organic compounds. In certain embodiments, the energy isnatural gas. In certain embodiments, the energy is hydrogen gas. Incertain embodiments, the energy is methane gas. In certain embodiments,the energy is biodiesel. In certain embodiments, the energy iselectricity.

“Ethanol”: The term “ethanol” refers to the chemical compound, CH₃CH₂OH.Ethanol is also referred to as grain alcohol. Ethanol is a flammable,tasteless, colorless, mildly toxic chemical compounds with a distinctiveodor. The term ethanol may refer to any degree of purity of ethanol. Incertain embodiments, the ethanol is at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%,95%, 98%, or 99% pure. In some cases, the ethanol is 100% pure. In othercases, the ethanol is denatured with 1-10% or 2-5% other solvents (e.g.,methanol, isopropanol, gasoline, hexanes, pentane) to make it unfit forhuman consumption. In certain embodiments, the ethanol is mixed withwater. In other embodiments, the ethanol is anhydrous (e.g., after adehydration step).

“Fermentation”: The term “fermentation” refers to the process ofconverting sugars to ethanol or any other desired products includingenergy (e.g., hydrocarbons, gasoline, natural gas, methane, biodiesel,and hydrogen gas), electricity, plastics, polymers, nutrients (human andanimal), proteins, biomolecules, pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary;e.g., drugs and medicines), and fertilizer. In certain embodiments, theterm fermentation refers to the process of making organic moleculesuseful as an energy source from biomass. Fermentation is typicallyperformed by microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast. The fermentationprocess for ethanol is typically performed in an oxygen-deficientatmosphere to prevent the further oxidation of the desired ethanol toacetic acid.

As defined herein, a “fermentor, reactor or a converter” is a devicethat is capable of holding at least about 1,000 gallons of material,such as a cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic material, a microorganismand a solvent, such as water. In some embodiments, the fermenter,reactor or converter is capable of holding greater than about 2,000gallons of material, greater than about 2,500 gallons, greater thanabout 5,000 gallons, greater than about 10,000 gallons, greater thanabout 25,000 gallons, greater than about 50,000 gallons, or even greaterthan about 100,000 gallons.

The terms “texturized cellulosic or lignocellulosic material” and“texturized fibrous material” as used herein, mean that the cellulosicor lignocellulosic material has been sheared to the extent that itsinternal fibers are substantially exposed. At least about 50%, morepreferably at least about 70%, of these fibers have a length/diameter(L/D) ratio of at least 5, more preferably at least 25, or at least 50.

All publications, patent applications, patents, and other referencesmentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety for allthat they contain.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram that schematically illustrates methods ofproducing various products, such as ethanol or n-butanol.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a rotary knife cutter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein are mobile and/or small-scale (e.g., less than 1-5million gallons per year) systems for producing energy (e.g., ethanol,hydrocarbons, gasoline, natural gas, methane, biodiesel, and hydrogengas), electricity, plastics, polymers, nutrients (human and animal),proteins, biomolecules, pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary; e.g.,drugs and medicines), fertilizer, or other products including processes,facilities, and components of the facility for producing the desiredproduct, from biomass. The systems eliminate or at least reduce the needfor transporting the starting material biomass, which can be, e.g., of alow bulk density, to a stationary large-scale production facility. Italso may reduce the need to transport the desired product produced bythe mobile facility a long distance to its end user or a distributionfacility. The system for producing the desired product allows for theprocessing of biomass that ordinarily would not be economically suitablefor conversion to energy (e.g., ethanol, hydrocarbons, gasoline, naturalgas, methane, biodiesel, and hydrogen gas), electricity, plastics,polymers, nutrients (human and animal), proteins, biomolecules,pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary; e.g., drugs and medicines),fertilizer, or other products due to transportation, processing, orother costs. The system makes the production of energy (e.g., ethanol,hydrocarbons, gasoline, natural gas, methane, biodiesel, and hydrogengas), electricity, plastics, polymers, nutrients (human and animal),proteins, biomolecules, pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary; e.g.,drugs and medicines), fertilizer, or other products more economical byreducing the costs, particularly the transportation costs, of producingthe desired product.

Production facilities that are configured in such a way that it or itsvarious components can be easily transported by land, sea, air, or acombination thereof. In certain embodiments, the materials and equipmentneed to produce desired product from biomass are compactly organized sothat it or its components can be transported by a car, truck, tractortrailer, railroad, boat, barge, airplane, helicopter, or combinationthereof. In certain embodiments, the facility or its components may belimited in size depending on how the facility or its components aretransported. For example, a facility or component being transported bytractor trailer will need to fit on the bed of a truck or trailer fortransport.

Referring to FIG. 1, methods of producing products, such as ethanol orn-butanol, from biomass, e.g., cellulosic or lignocellulosic material,include producing a first product at a first site with a system thatincludes a reactor or converter, e.g., a fermenter. The system istransported to a second site, and then a second product is produced frombiomass at the second site with the system.

Any number of sites may be utilized. For example, the number of sitescan be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or more, e.g., 10, 20, 30, 50, 100 or more, e.g.,1000.

For example, a site may form part of a complex or a campus, and portionsof the complex or campus may be joined by various manufacturinginfrastructure, such as rail.

Spacing between a first site and a second site can be relatively smallor relatively large. For example, the sites can be physically besideeach other. For example, the system can be carried by a moving train andproducing ethanol while moving.

In other embodiments, the first site and second site are spaced apart bya distance of about 10 miles or more, e.g., about 25 miles or more,about 35 or more, about 65 miles or more, about 85 miles or more, about100 or more, about 200 miles or more, about 300 or more, or even about500 miles or more.

In some embodiments, the fermentor, reactor or converter can holdbetween about 1,000 gallons and about 100,000 gallons of material, e.g.,between about 2,500 gallons and about 100,000 gallons, or between about5,000 gallons and about 75,000 gallons.

In certain embodiments, the mobile systems or one or more of itscomponents for producing the desired product is transported by land.When the mobile facility or its components is transported by roads, itpreferably complies with all applicable laws governing the roads of thatcountry, state, province, county, or city. In the U.S., facilitiestransported by land using highways and roads may comply with allfederal, state, and local laws and regulations. In certain embodiments,the mobile facility being transported by a tractor trailer is no largerthan 8 feet 6 inches wide and no longer than 57 feet in length. Incertain embodiments, the facility is no wider than 8 feet 6 inches andno longer than 53 feet. In certain embodiments, the facility is no widerthan 8 feet 6 inches and no longer than 48 feet. In certain embodiments,the facility is no wider than 8 feet 6 inches and no longer than 20-24feet in length. The height of the vehicle may vary depending on theobstacles on the road the facility is being transported via. However,typically the facility is less than 15 feet in height. In certainembodiments, it is less than 14 feet in height. In certain embodiments,the facility is transported by a double tractor trailer in which casethe total length for the combination is no greater than 75 feet. Incertain embodiments, the total length of the double is no greater than65 feet. In certain embodiments, the gross combination weight of thevehicle with the mobile facility or one or more of its component(s) isno greater than 80,000 pounds. In certain embodiments, the facility or acomponent thereof fits into a standard container used for shipping bytractor trailer. As would be appreciated by one of skill in this art,the components of the facility may be transported by more than one landvehicle or may be transported by a land vehicle and a combination ofland, water, and air vehicles. In certain embodiments, components thatare not suitable for transport by water or air are transported by land.In certain embodiments, components for which water and/or airtransportation are not economical are transported by land. However, itis appreciated that in certain embodiments land transportation of thefacility or its components is not feasible or is not possible (e.g., dueto lack of passable roads).

In certain embodiments, the mobile production facility or some of itscomponents are small enough to be transported by a car, sport utilityvehicle (SUV), or pickup truck. In certain embodiments, the facility orits components are transported on a trailer pulled by a car, SUV, orpickup truck.

The mobile facility or its various components can also transportable byrailroad. In certain embodiments, the facility to be transported by railis no wider than 14 feet. In other embodiments, the facility is no widerthan 13 feet 6 inches. In still other embodiments, the facility is nowider than 13 feet. In certain embodiments, the facility is no widerthan 12 feet 6 inches. The width clearance of the facility including itsouter container will depend on the railways being used to transport thefacility. In certain embodiments, the minimum width of 12 feet 6 inchesor 13 feet is used to accommodate all railways the facility couldpossibly travel along. The length of the facility is no longer than 60feet. In embodiments, the length of the facility is less than 60 feet.In certain embodiments, the length is approximately 58 feet. In otherembodiments, the length is approximately 59 feet, approximately 57 feet,or approximately 56 feet. The height of the facility is typically lessthan 23 feet. In certain embodiments, the height is less than 22 feet.In other embodiments, the height is less than 21 feet. In certainembodiments, the height is less than 20 feet. In certain embodiments,the facility or a component thereof fits into a standard container usedfor shipping by railroad. In yet other embodiments, the height is lessthan 19 feet. The weight of the facility typically does not exceed200,000 pounds. In certain embodiments, when a larger mobile productionfacility is needed, the facility is transported using more than onerailroad car where each railroad car includes a component. Thesecomponents are then assembled into an operational facility at thedesired site. In certain embodiments, the facility is assembled on arail road track, set of tracks, or spur. In certain embodiments, thefacility comprises 1-10 railroad cars. In certain embodiments, thefacility comprises 1-5 railroad cars. In certain embodiments, each stepor a combination of steps of the process of producing ethanol isperformed in a separate car. In certain embodiments, the equipment forperforming one or more steps is combined into one car. Variouscomponents of the facility may also be brought to the site for assemblyby other land transportation, air transportation, or watertransportation.

Any combination of transporting modes can be utilized. For example, thesystems can be transported by land, and then by water, or by air andthen by land.

For example, the products such as ethanol can be produced duringtransportation or after transportation.

When the facility or its components are transported by water, thefacility is optionally within the allowed limits of the vesseltransporting the facility or component(s). These limits include length,width, height, and weight limits of the vessel transporting thefacility. As will be appreciated by one of skill in this art, the sizeof the facility will greatly depend on the size of the vesseltransporting the facility or its component(s). Larger ships and bargescan transport a much larger ethanol production facilities than smallerboats. When the facility or its component(s) are transported by water,the facility may be assembled on a barge, dock, wharf, platform, derek,rig, sand bar, and island. In certain embodiments, the facility or acomponent thereof fits into a standard container used for shipping bywater. In certain embodiments, the facility is assembled on a flotationdevice. Various components of the facility may be brought to the sitefor the facility by land or air as well as by water. Facilities on thewater or close to the water facilitate the use of aquatic biomass suchas plankton, algae, and aquatic plants in the production of the desiredproduct.

Similarly, when the facility is transported by air, the facility or itscomponent(s) are optionally within the allowed limits of the aircrafttransporting the facility. These limits include length, width, height,and weight limits of the aircraft transporting the facility. In certainembodiments, the aircraft is an airplane. The airplane may be apropeller driven plane, a jet, a cargo plane, a military plane, and acommercial airliner. In certain embodiments, the aircraft is ahelicopter. In certain embodiments, the aircraft will transport thefacility or the component(s) hanging from the aircraft. In certainembodiments, the facility or a component thereof fits into a standardcontainer used for shipping by air. The facility or component may landwith the aircraft and be unloaded from the aircraft for use or thefacility or component may be used while on board the aircraft. Incertain embodiments, the facility or component is dropped from the airto the site where it is to be used. In certain embodiments, the facilityor component includes parachutes or other landing device for a safelanding of the facility. The facility may also include a floatationdevice for a water landing. In certain embodiments, the facility or acomponent thereof includes a means for absorbing the impact of thelanding. In certain embodiments, the facility or components is latermoved by land, air, or water to a new site. In other embodiments, thefacility or components are not moved and may be abandoned temporarily orpermanently. Various other components of an facility may be transportedby land or water as well as air. The components may be assembled into anoperational facility at an airport, landing strip, drop site, or anyother land or water site.

In certain embodiments, the facilities or any of its components arecapable of being transported by any combination of air, land, and/orwater transport. In certain embodiments, the facility or its componentsare transported by all three. In other embodiments, the facility or itscomponents are transported by land and water. In certain embodiment, thefacility or its components are transported by land and air. In otherembodiments, the facility or its components are transported by air andwater. In these cases, the vehicle transporting the facility or any ofits components preferably meets the requirements (e.g., length, width,height, and weight) of the mode of transportation being used. Given thatthe ethanol, hydrocarbons, natural gas, or gasoline being produced areflammable, any applicable safety laws, rules, or regulations arepreferably followed regarding the transport and production of aflammable liquids or gases. In certain embodiments, equipment forhandling spills, fires, and explosions is incorporated into thefacility.

In certain embodiments, the facilities include at least one portablecomponent used in the production of energy (e.g., ethanol, hydrocarbons,gasoline, natural gas, methane, biodiesel, and hydrogen gas),electricity, plastics, polymers, nutrients (human and animal), proteins,biomolecules, pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary; e.g., drugs andmedicines), fertilizer, or other products from biomass. The assembledfacility as well as any components of the facility are considered to bewithin the scope of the disclosure. A component-based facility allowsfor easy assembly of the facility, interchangeability, scalability, andpre-fabrication of the components. Breaking the facility into variouscomponents also facilitates the mobility aspect of the facility. Incertain embodiments, the facility is divided into two, three, four,five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more components. Each componentsmay include one or more pieces of equipment with the necessary wiring,piping, drains, control systems, heating and cooling means, stands,coupling devices, and outlets. In certain embodiments, the componentinclude walls, roof, flooring, or other infrastructure for the componentitself, other components, or the entire facility. In certainembodiments, the component includes a contained for easy transport ofthe component. The container may be used in the production process(e.g., as a mixing container or other vat). The sides, bottom, or top ofthe container may be used as the walls, floor, or roof of the shelterhousing the facility or components thereof.

In certain embodiments, each step of the production process is performedin a separate component. That is, all the equipment for a step in theprocess is included in the component. The various steps and equipmentuseful in the production of bioethanol from biomass are describedherein. In other embodiments, a step may require equipment from one ormore components. In other embodiments, more than one step of theproduction process is included in a component. One or more components ofthe facility are assembled to produce an operable facility. Thecomponents are typically assembled at a site prepared for theinstallation. However, in certain embodiments, there is no preparationor infrastructure at the site. Instead, the facility or components areself-supporting. In certain embodiments, the components are assembledusing a crane, fork lift, truck, or other moving device, which isoptionally included in the system. In other embodiments, the componentsare assembled using only human labor. Tools may be used in the assemblyof the facility. The site may include all the necessary infrastructureto make the facility operational. Infrastructure may include walls,roof, foundation, floor, electricity, wiring, piping, sewer, water, andnatural gas. In certain embodiments, the infrastructure is not mobileand is stationary. When the facility or any of its components are moved,the infrastructure may left behind to potentially be used again thefuture. In certain embodiments, the infrastructure is used to assemblean production facility every month, every season, every year, or anytime sufficient biomass is available at the site to supply the facility.

Ethanol production facilities that are smaller in scale than traditionalethanol production facilities. Typically, ethanol production facilitiesproduce greater than 10-20 million gallons of ethanol per year with somefacilities exceeding 50 million gallons of ethanol per year. Thefacilities produce less than 5 million gallons of ethanol or otherenergy source per year. In certain embodiments, the facility producesless than 1 million gallons of ethanol or other energy source per year.In certain embodiments, the facility produces less than 0.5 milliongallons of ethanol or other energy source per year. In certainembodiments, the facility produces less than 0.1 million gallons ofethanol or other energy source per year. In certain embodiments, thefacility produces less than 0.01 million gallons of ethanol or otherenergy source per year. In certain embodiments, the facility producesless than 0.001 million gallons of ethanol or other energy source peryear. These facilities may be mobile or include mobile components asdescribed herein. In certain embodiments, the facility is stationary.The amount of energy produced by a facility is sufficient to meet thedemands of a factory, military base, small town, rural village, county,farm, and island. The small size of the facility allows for numerousfacilities to be placed in a geographic region. For example, a facilitymay be placed in any areas where there is sufficient biomass (e.g.,crops, waste) to supply the facility with. Smaller-scale facilitiescloser to the biomass being processed by the system reducetransportation costs, and in certain cases, may allow ethanol to beproduced economically where it could not be produced economically bylarge-scale facilities.

The bioethanol production facilities can have all or some of theequipment necessary for producing the desired product from biomass. Thebiomass used by the systems include any type of biomass. In certainembodiments, more conventional sources of biomass such as corn, sugarbeets, grains, sugar cane, or whey is used as the starting material. Inother embodiments, less conventional sources of biomass are usedincluding agricultural waste, algae, waste, and human waste. In certainembodiments, the systems do not use corn, sugar beets, or sugarcane. Incertain embodiments, the systems do use corn. In other embodiments, thesystem uses sugar beets or sugarcane. In certain embodiments, the systemis designed to use a variety of different types of biomass as startingmaterial. In other embodiments, the system is designed to use one typeof biomass. In certain embodiments, various components may be switchedinterchanged to allow for different types of biomass as startingmaterials.

In certain embodiments, the systems includes processes and apparatusesfor pre-processing the biomass. In certain embodiments, the biomass issorted. In other embodiments, the biomass is cleaned. In otherembodiments, the biomass is packaged. In certain embodiments, thebiomass is compacted or compressed. In other embodiments, the biomass isliquefied. In other embodiments, the biomass is dehydrated. Thepre-processing of the biomass may take place at the site of harvestingthe biomass, before transportation of the biomass, during thetransportation, during storage of the biomass, or at the site of theenergy production. Any equipment and methods used to pre-process biomassfor energy production may be used. In certain embodiments, thepre-processing means is considered to be part of the system.

The process of producing energy (e.g., ethanol, hydrocarbons, gasoline,natural gas, methane, biodiesel, and hydrogen gas), electricity,plastics, polymers, nutrients (human and animal), proteins,biomolecules, pharmaceuticals (human and veterinary; e.g., drugs andmedicines), fertilizer, or other products from biomass can be brokendown into several steps. The first involves grinding the biomass into afine powder, chopping the biomass, shearing the biomass, or otherwisemaking the complex carbohydrates or other biomolecules in the biomassavailable for further processing. In certain embodiments, the resultingbiomass is then mixed with water and optionally microorganisms (e.g.,bacteria), algae, enzymes, acid, base, or chemical reagent. The mixtureis then optionally heated in a cooker or other apparatus to facilitatethe break-down of complex sugars (e.g., cellulose, starch) intofermentable, simpler sugars (e.g., glucose). This step may alsofacilitate the breakdown of other biomolecules or cellular structuressuch as lipids, protein, nucleic acids, steroids, natural products, cellwall, cell membrane, and intracellular membranes. The resulting mixture,commonly known as the mash, is then fermented with the addition of amicroorganism such as yeast. In certain embodiments, other geneticallyengineered microorganisms are used in the fermentation process. Themicroorganisms may be particularly suitable for fermenting or convertingthe biomass used in the process into the desired product. Thefermentation/conversion process is continued until most of the sugars orother starting materials in the fermentation have been converted toethanol or other desired product. In certain embodiments, co-productssuch as carbon dioxide, proteins, polymers, nutrients, fertilizers, orbiomolecules are produced during the process. These may be collected,purified, packaged, and/or sold. The ethanol or other desired product isthen optionally separated from the liquid, solid waste, and sideproducts. This is typically done by distillation; however, other meansof separating or purifying can also be used (e.g. column chromatography,extraction, chromatography, and crystallization). The distilled ethanolor other liquid energy source may still contain water so the desiredproduct is optionally dehydrated. In certain embodiments, the desiredproduct (e.g., ethanol) is dehydrated by running it over a substancethat absorbs the remaining water such as molecular sieves. Once thedesired product (e.g., ethanol) is purified to the desired degree ofpurity and water is removed, the desired product, particularly ethanol,is optionally denatured making it unfit for human consumption. Thedenaturation process is performed by missing the purified ethanol with1-5% of gasoline or other organic solvent (e.g., methanol, acetone,isopropanol, and hexanes). Any waste can be discarded. In certainembodiments, the resulting distillers grain is used as livestock feed oras a fertilizer. Carbon dioxide also is produced as a by-product in thefermentation process. The carbon dioxide may be collected and sold.Other products such as polymers, protein, lipids, or other biomoleculesare side products may be collected, packaged, and/or sold.

In certain embodiments, for example, when bioethanol is being producedfrom biomass, the facility or a component thereof includes a fermenterand distillation apparatus. In other embodiments, the productionfacility or component thereof also includes a cooker. The facility mayalso include a mill for grinding the biomass into smaller particles. Thefacility may also contain equipment such as columns for furtherpurifying and dehydrating the ethanol after distillation. In certainembodiments, the facility also includes containers and mixing equipmentfor denaturing the produced ethanol. In certain embodiments, the variousequipment is interconnected using piping to easily transfer the productfrom one step into equipment for performing the next step. As needed,the various equipment used in the process is fitted with heating andcooling means.

The process begins with biomass. The biomass used by the system may beany biomass suitable for producing ethanol or any other desired product.In certain embodiments, the biomass is high starch or high sugaragricultural crops such as corn, sugar cane, sugar and beets. Thefacilities are particularly useful and economical in converting crops tobioethanol because they can arrive or be assembled at the site when thecrops (or other biomass) are ready for processing and then leave or bedisassembled when the crops (or other biomass) have been processed. Incertain embodiments, the biomass includes materials that containcellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, protein, starch, and/or sugar. Incertain embodiments, the biomass include plant matter such as trees,shrubs, grasses, weeds, agricultural crops, and agricultural waste. Incertain embodiments, the biomass includes aquatic biomass, for exampleplankton, aquatic plants, and algae. Aquatic biomass is particularlysuitable for being processed by the production facilities that aretransported on water. In certain embodiments, the biomass is municipalwaste, waste paper, and yard waste. A production facility may routinelytravel to a particular area to convert its waste to ethanol or anotherdesired product, or the facility may be assembled at a particular site.In other embodiments, the biomass is human waste.

The initial phases of sizing, milling, chopping, cutting, shearing,washing, liquefication, and/or saccharification of the biomass areperformed by the facility or components thereof in some embodiments. Inother embodiments, these steps or some of these steps are not performedby the facility or components thereof.

In certain embodiments, the biomass is mechanically broken down. Forexample, in certain embodiments, the sizing, milling, chopping, cutting,shearing, washing, or other pre-processing of the biomass forfermentation or conversion is not performed by the facility orcomponents thereof, and the resulting processed biomass (also known asthe meal) is the starting material used by the facility or a componentthereof. In certain embodiments, the facility or a component thereofprocesses the biomass to allow for microoganisms or chemical to act onthe carbohydrates in the biomass. This may include breaking down cellmembranes, breaking down cells walls, increasing the surface area,breaking down macrostructures in the biomass.

In certain embodiments, the biomass or cellulose in the biomass istexturized or opened up as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,952,105;5,973,035; 6,207,729; 6,258,876; 6,448,307; 7,074,918; each of which isincorporated herein by reference; and published U.S. patent applications20050084671; 20050090577; 20050200050; each of which is incorporatedherein by reference. This process opens up the fibers in the biomass forfurther processing by chemicals and microoganisms added to the processedbiomass in subsequent steps. The process increases the surface areawhere microorganisms or chemicals can work.

Referring to FIG. 2, a rotary knife cutter 20 includes a hopper 22 thatcan be loaded with a shredded fiber source 10′ prepared by shreddingfiber source 10. Shredded fiber source 10′ is sheared between stationaryblades 24 and rotating blades 26 to provide a first fibrous material 12.First fibrous material 12 passes through screen 16, and the resultingsecond fibrous material 4 is captured in bin 30. To aid in thecollection of the second fibrous material 4, bin 30 can have a pressurebelow nominal atmospheric pressure, e.g., at least 10 percent belownominal atmospheric pressure, e.g., at least 25 percent below nominalatmospheric pressure, at least 50 percent below nominal atmosphericpressure, or at least 75 percent below nominal atmospheric pressure. Insome embodiments, a vacuum source 50 is utilized to maintain the binbelow nominal atmospheric pressure.

In certain embodiments, the biomass is mixed with water and optionallyenzymes, microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi, yeast), algae, otherorganisms, chemical reagents, or a combination thereof. This step breaksdown the cellular structures, sugars, and biomolecules of the biomassbefore its conversion into the desired product. In certain embodiments,the biomass is mixed with a microorganism that aids in the breakdown ofthe biomass. The microorganism may be genetically engineered. In certainembodiments, the biomass is mixed with an algae that aids in thebreakdown of the biomass. The resulting mixture may be heated, cooled,and mixed. to effect the desired changes to the biomass. In certainembodiments, the biomass is substantially liquefied resulting in a mashbefore it is transferred to the facility or a component thereof. Instill other embodiments, the complex sugars in the mash are broken downinto simpler, fermentable sugars, and the resulting mash is transferredto the facility or a component thereof for processing.

Once the biomass or a processed form of the biomass (e.g., the meal, themash, opened and fiber) enters the facility or component thereof, it isfurther processed to form ethanol or any other desired product. Incertain embodiments, the facility or a component pre-processes,liquefies, and converts the complex sugars in the mash to simplersugars. In other embodiments the facility or a component thereofliquefies and converts the complex sugars to simpler sugars fordistillation. In still other embodiments, the complex sugar in the mashare converted to simpler sugars in the facility or a component thereof.This conversion process is effected by enzymes such as amylase orcellulase, acid (e.g., sulfuric acid), microorganisms, and/or heat. Theconversion process breaks down complex sugars such as cellulose andstarch to simpler 5- or 6-carbon sugars such as glucose.

Once the mash with the broken down sugars is obtained either throughprocessing inside or outside the facility, the fermentation/conversionprocess is begun. In certain embodiments, the mash is fermented toproduce ethanol. The fermentation process is typically begun by bringingthe mash to a particular temperature, for example, between 30 and 45° C.In certain embodiments, the fermentation takes place at approximately30° C. In certain embodiments, the pH of the mash is adjusted toapproximately pH 6-8, preferably approximately pH 7-7.5. In certainembodiments, the fermentation is carried out in an oxygen-depletedatmosphere. A fermenting microorganism is then added to the mash. Incertain embodiments, the fermenting microorganism is yeast. In otherembodiments, the fermenting microorganism is Saccharomyces cerevisiae.In certain embodiments, the fermenting organism is Schizosaccharomycespombe. In other embodiments, the microorganism is Zymomonas mobilis. Inother embodiments, the microorganism is Escherichia coli. In certainembodiments, the microorganism is a genetically engineered organism.Examples of genetically engineered fermenting organisms useful in theproduction of bioethanol are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,699,696;6,306,639; 5,162,516; 5,028,539; 5,000,000; 4,400,470; each of which isincorporated herein by reference. In certain embodiments, thefermentation mixture is kept at a constant temperature and pH during thefermentation process. The fermentation typically last from 24 hours to500 hours. In certain embodiments, the fermentation lasts from 50-200hours. In certain other embodiments, the fermentation last from 100-200hours. As would be appreciated by one of skill in this art, the biomass,microorganism, temperature, and other conditions used in thefermentation will determine the length of time needed to convert thebiomass to ethanol.

In other embodiments, the processed biomass or mash is converted intoanother energy source besides ethanol (e.g., gasoline, hydrocarbons,hydrogen gas, natural gas, biodiesel, and electricity) or anotherdesired product or co-product. This conversion is effected bymicroorganisms. In certain embodiments, the microorganisms aregenetically engineered. In certain particular embodiments, themicroorganisms are genetically engineered to produced the desiredproduct. For example, in certain embodiments, the microorganisms aredesigned to produce natural gas or hydrogen gas from biomass. In otherembodiments, the microorganisms are designed to produce gasoline orhydrocarbons from biomass.

In other embodiments, the processed biomass or mash is converted intoother desired products such as plastics, polymers, and nutrients. Thisconversion is effected by microorganisms. In certain embodiments, themicroorganisms are genetically engineered. In certain particularembodiments, the microorganisms are genetically engineered to producedthe desired polymer. In certain embodiments, the microorganisms aredesigned to produce nutrients.

In certain embodiments, the desired product is removed as it isproduced. In other embodiments, the desired product is purified from thefermentation/conversion after the fermentation/conversion is stopped. Inthe production of bioethanol, after the fermentation step is complete,the fermented mash (also known as beer) contains anywhere from 5% to 20%ethanol. In some embodiments, the ethanol is removed as it is produced.The ethanol is purified from the water, and solids by distillation. Thedistillation process involves vaporizing the ethanol and thenrecondensing it into liquid form again. The purity of the ethanolobtained from the distillation can be increased by repeatedly distillingthe resulting ethanol until the desired purity is achieved. The ethanolmay be further purified by removing any remaining water using adehydration step. In certain embodiments, the ethanol is passed over amaterial which absorbs water such as molecular sieves. In certainembodiments, the ethanol is distilled or azeotroped to remove most ofthe water from the ethanol. Similarly, if a different desired product isproduced than ethanol, it can similarly be purified from the convertedbiomass. Preferably, as much of the desired product is produced beforethe conversion process is stopped. In certain embodiments, the desiredproduct is drawn off as it is produced.

Analogously, the facilities may produce 100% ethanol or ethanol of anydesired state of purity. For example, the facility with its distillationapparatus may produce less than 100% pure ethanol. In certainembodiments, the ethanol is at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, atleast 98%, or at least 99% pure. The ethanol, if desired, can then befurther purified and/or dehydrated outside the mobile facility. Incertain embodiments, the facility produces pure ethanol that issubsequently denatured. An organic solvent such as methanol,isopropanol, hexanes, and gasoline. is added to the purified ethanol toproduced denatured ethanol, which is unfit for human consumption.Exemplary denaturants include methanol, camphor, aldehydes, amylalcohol, gasoline, isopropanol, terpineol, benzene, castor oil, acetone,nicotine, acids, kerosene, and diethyl phthalate. In certainembodiments, 1-10% of organic solvent is added to the ethanol. In otherembodiments, 1-5% of organic solvent is added. In certain embodiments,2-5% of gasoline is added to the ethanol to denture it.

Any of the knowledge in the art of producing of ethanol from biomass maybe used in the system for producing ethanol. Various aspects of theprocess of producing ethanol from biomass are described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,070,967; 7,037,704; 7,037,378; 7,033,781; 7,026,152; 7,022,894;6,933,404; 6,927,048; 6,908,995; 6,861,248; 6,849,434; 6,846,657;6,803,218; 6,755,975; 6,737,257; 6,716,631; 6,703,227; 6,699,696;6,663,780; 6,660,506; 6,648,930; 6,605,376; 6,596,908; 6,592,921;6,582,944; 6,555,350; 6,528,311; 6,509,180; 6,468,567; 6,420,146;6,387,554; 6,379,964; 6,372,269; 6,355,456; 6,352,859; 6,335,198;6,335,177; 6,333,181; 6,326,204; 6,306,639; 6,287,862; 6,280,986;6,267,309; 6,251,674; 6,224,915; 6,136,577; 6,130,076; 6,107,093;6,090,595; 6,054,611; 6,045,660; 6,001,568; 5,981,807; 5,975,439;5,958,698; 5,932,456; 5,916,787; 5,916,780; 5,892,107; 5,882,905;5,869,301; 5,840,971; 5,821,093; 5,789,210; 5,779,164; 5,756,862;5,735,916; 5,705,369; 5,677,154; 5,616,478; 5,609,723; 5,578,472;5,571,703; 5,559,031; 5,554,520; 5,545,543; 5,504,259; 5,503,996;5,488,185; 5,487,989; 5,482,846; 5,474,924; 5,470,433; 5,424,417;5,424,202; 5,407,817; 5,397,436; 5,372,939; 5,345,477; 5,258,293;5,231,017; 5,223,567; 5,186,722; 5,182,199; 5,135,861; 5,134,944;5,106,634; 5,100,791; 5,086,144; 5,081,285; 5,071,675; 5,063,156;5,061,497; 5,047,332; 5,028,539; 5,013,436; 5,000,000; 4,985,355;4,952,504; 4,952,503; 4,933,198; 4,886,751; 4,885,241; 4,859,758;4,840,903; 4,840,902; 4,830,964; 4,816,407; 4,816,399; 4,812,410;4,808,527; 4,808,526; 4,790,238; 4,778,688; 4,769,324; 4,746,615;4,746,610; 4,731,329; 4,661,643; 4,650,689; 4,647,534; 4,628,031;4,612,286; 4,604,352; 4,567,145; 4,560,659; 4,556,744; 4,541,897;4,523,928; 4,522,920; 4,517,298; 4,510,242; 4,507,505; 4,490,469;4,490,468; 4,480,090; 4,454,358; 4,451,597; 4,447,534; 4,443,637;4,443,544; 4,443,543; 4,442,210; 4,421,939; 4,413,058; 4,409,405;4,405,815; 4,403,034; 4,400,551; 4,400,470; 4,400,469; 4,395,488;4,393,136; 4,386,009; 4,372,822; 4,358,536; 4,357,480; 4,356,262;4,355,192; 4,355,108; 4,346,113; 4,335,207; 4,333,852; 4,328,375;4,326,036; 4,321,141; 4,317,884; 4,302,357; 4,301,312; 4,301,253;4,287,303; 4,273,621; 4,262,154; 4,255,300; 4,253,987; 4,233,466;4,220,803; 4,168,391; 4,164,445; 4,139,509; 4,134,926; 4,094,742; eachof which is incorporated herein by reference; and published U.S. patentapplications, 20060154844; 20060154353; 20060154342; 20060143728;20060141594; 20060141584; 20060134747; 20060121589; 20060121581;20060115779; 20060110812; 20060110810; 20060105443; 20060105442;20060105440; 20060101540; 20060094080; 20060088922; 20060084156;20060073220; 20060064786; 20060057692; 20060057691; 20060051847;20060043020; 20060035353; 20060035346; 20060026715; 20060019400;20060019360; 20060014841; 20060014260; 20060013765; 20060009537;20060003408; 20050289670; 20050272134; 20050266543; 20050266540;20050266105; 20050266100; 20050260554; 20050250192; 20050244934;20050244878; 20050233031; 20050226950; 20050214915; 20050214913;20050214911; 20050214408; 20050198704; 20050181492; 20050176974;20050170483; 20050158836; 20050142250; 20050136525; 20050136520;20050124010; 20050115904; 20050115897; 20050112739; 20050109697;20050107482; 20050106657; 20050100996; 20050074865; 20050069998;20050069598; 20050065446; 20050064052; 20050061313; 20050056600;20050055874; 20050033045; 20050031719; 20050026261; 20050019932;20050013901; 20050003025; 20040262161; 20040261145; 20040253713;20040231661; 20040229321; 20040225164; 20040204503; 20040197890;20040194161; 20040191375; 20040185543; 20040185542; 20040152159;20040121436; 20040116757; 20040108085; 20040102619; 20040094144;20040091983; 20040087808; 20040082044; 20040081648; 20040081647;20040077090; 20040067550; 20040060868; 20040060673; 20040058052;20040055041; 20040047799; 20040044087; 20040029238; 20040011258;20040000521; 20030236311; 20030235881; 20030222021; 20030219512;20030211585; 20030204988; 20030199072; 20030199049; 20030194788;20030186402; 20030180900; 20030175903; 20030170861; 20030170330;20030166179; 20030162851; 20030162271; 20030157675; 20030153059;20030148309; 20030143704; 20030119006; 20030115792; 20030114330;20030113735; 20030113734; 20030113732; 20030100807; 20030094416;20030087381; 20030077771; 20030072822; 20030068415; 20030054535;20030054500; 20030049867; 20030046724; 20030044499; 20030044495;20030041982; 20030019736; 20030018063; 20030008363; 20030008362;20030006191; 20021097686; 20020197688; 20020193617; 20020192774;20020188965; 20020188459; 20020164731; 20020164730; 20020160469;20020159990; 20020155583; 20020153317; 20020142410; 20020132350;20020104518; 20020094575; 20020091165; 20020081677; 20020069987;20020062594; 20020061561; 20020055135; 20020042111; 20020037564;20020034816; 20020026744; 20020023278; 20020015871; 20010024796;20010023034; 20010006795; each of which is incorporated herein byreference.

Other Embodiments

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described.Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the followingclaims.

What I claim is:
 1. A method of producing a product from biomasscomprising: (a) producing a pre-processed biomass by texturizing oropening up a cellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass, so as to makecomplex carbohydrates or other biomolecules of the biomass available forfurther processing, by mechanically treating the biomass at a first siteutilizing portable components of a system for processing biomass, (b)transporting the pre-processed biomass to a second site includingcomponents of the system for processing biomass, and (c) producing aproduct from the pre-processed biomass using the portable components ofthe system at the second site, wherein producing comprises utilizing afermenter, reactor or converter to convert the pre-processed biomassinto sugars using a microorganism and/or enzyme.
 2. The method of claim1, wherein the portable components at the first site are selected fromthe group consisting of cutters, shearing devices, mills, holdingcontainers and combinations of these components.
 3. The method of claim1, wherein the portable components include a mill.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the portable components include a shearing device. 5.The method of claim 1, wherein the components of the system at thesecond site are not transportable.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thebiomass is selected from the group consisting of corn, sugar cane, sugarbeets, trees, shrubs, grasses, phytoplankton, zooplankton, algae,macroalgae, seaweed, corn husks, bushes, lumber, wood waste, pulp,cotton, wool, linen, paper, newspapers, corrugated containers, mixedpaper, computer printouts, white office paper, printing plant scraps,leaves, twigs, grass, plant cuttings, branches, trees, vines, sewage,agricultural waste, and mixtures thereof.
 7. The method of claim 1,further comprising transporting the pre-processed biomass with theportable components.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprisingfurther texturizing or opening up the pre-processed biomass while it istransported.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein transporting is performedwith a nautical vessel.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein transportingis performed with a land vehicle.
 11. The method of claim 1, whereintransporting is performed with an airborne vehicle.
 12. The method ofclaim 1, wherein transporting is performed by more than a single mode.13. The method of claim 1, further comprising producing a secondpre-processed biomass by transporting the portable components from thefirst site to a third site and texturizing or opening up a cellulosic orlignocellulosic biomass at the third site utilizing the portablecomponents.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising producing athird pre-processed biomass by transporting the portable components fromthe third site to a fourth site and texturizing or opening up acellulosic or lignocellulosic biomass at the fourth site utilizing theportable components.
 15. The method of claim 1, further comprisingconverting the sugar to a product selected from the group consisting ofalcohols, hydrocarbons, hydrogen biodiesel and combinations thereof. 16.The method of claim 15, further comprising producing a productcomprising ethanol or n-butanol from the sugars at the second site. 17.The method of claim 16, wherein producing the product comprising ethanolor n-butanol from the sugars comprises contacting the sugars with one ofmore microorganisms disposed in the fermenter.
 18. The method of claim17, wherein the one or more microorganisms comprise one or moregenetically engineered bacteria.